The center sign appears untouched, and on the exits only the shields and "TO" appear to have been replaced. The lowest line on the Exit 85 assembly was ugly then (and seemed to be fixed with a more proper yellow bar until I guess it was determined to not really be one mile?) and is differently ugly now. It's a shame the lights are gone.

The signs in the pic are non-reflective background button copy and the signs on GSV are reflective button copy put up in the 1980s.

None of the three signs are the same. Old photo is phase II non Reflective. All the signage on that gantry on google maps now is phase III retroreflective button copy. Note that the phase II center sign has finishing strips on each side, the present sign does not and the border goes right to the left and right edges of the extruded panels.

None of the three signs are the same. Old photo is phase II non Reflective. All the signage on that gantry on google maps now is phase III retroreflective button copy. Note that the phase II center sign has finishing strips on each side, the present sign does not and the border goes right to the left and right edges of the extruded panels.

I'm still amazed and how short lived some of the non-reflective button copy signs were. These were up for only 10 years or so. Judging by reflective button copy sign dates (on the back) and known openings of other highways, I've gathered some of the non-reflective ones were only up for about 5-10 years. CT-8 comes to mind. A section in Beacon Falls opened up around 1980 and the reflective signs NB say 1989 on them. So the original NB signs were only up for about 9 years.

(SB still has them, as seen in this pic, but not for long)

The same with the NRBC signs on CT-40. If it opened up in 1976, the signage was replaced in 1990 or so. All that good non-reflective signage wasn't even up for 20 years. This one has escaped the rath:

I forgot to mention that Route 184 has exit numbers too, also without new overhead signage. There are also new retroreflective traffic signals at the end of the divided highway, which I've seen a lot more of in this part of the state. (not a fan of span wire, but at least ConnDOT is finally moving into the 21st century).

Speaking of Gold Star Bridge signage, I was browsing the website for the construction project and came across this image, from when the NB bridge was widened in 1974. It's the same sign that exists presently, which will be replaced soon. Any other BGS in the state that have lasted this long?

Cool shot. I almost forgot that Bridge Street was used back then. The signs put up in the mid/late 1980s which still exist today say "Thames Street". Here's a shot I got last summer:95NB-GoldStar-1 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

I believe the 1 mile sign may have fallen off, vs being removed on purpose due to incorrect mileage. The same gantry has been in place the whole time - you can still see some of the wiring for the lights (the loop of wire on the right post in each picture. The signs on the Exit 85 offramp, which splits into ramps for Thames St and US 1/Downtown Groton is being changed as part of the current I-95 resigning contract. "Thames Street" will become "Groton Waterfront". I'd venture to guess that when the signs on the bridge itself are replaced, they'll say "US 1 North/Downtown Groton/Groton Waterfront". Not to be confused with Exit 87, which will become "Groton City".

As far as what the SB signs on the bridge will say, this is from the contract plans, with no more pullthroughs:

Interesting. So at some point between 1974 and today, Connecticut replaced BGSs that had white shields with BGSs that have less visible, outline button copy shields? Don't get me wrong, I love and will miss the outilne button copy shields, but it's clear why they are being phased out.

The first of what I call "Phase III" signage (button copy, reflective backgrounds, outline US/state shields) was installed at some point during the mid 1980s. I remember a news story about the signs, being a partnership with the company 3-M. The signs on I-395 and on I-95 west of New Haven were installed in the 1985 timeframe. CT 2 and CT 9 got theres in the late 1980s. The state became blanketed with Phase III by 1990, with only I-84 east of East Hartford and I-95 from Madison east to New London escaping the cut. I-95 in Branford and Guilford held onto its original turnpike signage (all text, blue) until the early 90s when it became Phase III as well. On routes like CT 2, CT 8, and CT 9, they held onto their original signage for only about 10-15 years. Current signage on those routes is now over 30 years old, with no plans to replace signs on CT 2 or 9 in the near future.

The funny thing is the outline shield were a step backwards. Vermont was using that style on their BGS’s in 1960, and other than California, whose shield have green backgrounds anyway, it suggests that CT’s shields should as well, but they don’t. I’m a fan of the older signage, and the new signage being installed. Take a ride on route 2 west late at night coming back from the casino, and half the signage is illegible because the reflectors have lost their reflectivity. I do remember seeing them on I-95 in 1985 coming back from NYC with my parents, and was wondering if they forgot to finish painting the shields. The most ridiculous signage has to be the route 15 shields on the HOV lane signs on I-84 West by the I-384 interchange. The 15 looks like it’s part of the sign. From alpsroads.net:

Close inspection of the 15 shield reveals its a shield just slapped on. The only problem is that type of shield should be on a sign with a green background. Other shields on HOV signs in CT have a black border around them and are integrated into the sign itself. This particular sign was installed in the early 2000s when this "ramp" (actually, just a painted break in the HOV/main lane divider) was created. It dumps into the left lane of mainline westbound traffic in 1 mile, but is still 1 1/2 miles away from the actual exit from the 84 mainline.

During the 2000s era, a lot of shields were slapped onto signs to replace those that were faded or worn out. That's why some have the state name... they were meant to be reassurance shields, but got slapped onto a BGS instead. There's a couple small ones about 1 1/2 miles west of this particular location. There's also some on I-91, mostly southbound, that replaced worn-out button copy I-shields. And on parts of I-95 in SE CT, there are button copy I-shields with the state name that was put on when the sign was created. There's one or two on the 15SB ramp to 91SB a few miles west of this spot as well.

Speaking of transportation projects, I notice that district 1 has started blanketing the beginning and end of limited access highways’ guardrails with a red and green delineator, a la MAssachussetts. I first noticed these in district 2 a couple years back. Looks like their going to catch on statewide. And in conndot plow jockey fashion, several of them have already been twisted and bent around tolland from the last storm.

I think of this as the Ryan Seacrest or Johnny Gilbert sign. It was still standing in 1980 (at least the one at the NY/CT line was) when my mom, stepdad, stepgrandmom and I went to Nova Scotia to visit relatives. When was it taken down? And was there one at the RI end as well?

I think of this as the Ryan Seacrest or Johnny Gilbert sign. It was still standing in 1980 (at least the one at the NY/CT line was) when my mom, stepdad, stepgrandmom and I went to Nova Scotia to visit relatives. When was it taken down? And was there one at the RI end as well?

I think of this as the Ryan Seacrest or Johnny Gilbert sign. It was still standing in 1980 (at least the one at the NY/CT line was) when my mom, stepdad, stepgrandmom and I went to Nova Scotia to visit relatives. When was it taken down? And was there one at the RI end as well?

ixnay

There was an identical sign at the RI end of the turnpike. I remember seeing a photo of it someplace online, but I can't remember where.

What is the answer to the ultimate question of life, Connecticut, and everything?

Logged

"Officer, I'm always careful to drive the speed limit no matter where I am and that's what I was doin'." Said "No, you weren't," she said, "Yes, I was." He said, "Madam, I just clocked you at 22 MPH," and she said "That's the speed limit," he said "No ma'am, that's the route numbah!" - Gary Crocker

Speaking of transportation projects, I notice that district 1 has started blanketing the beginning and end of limited access highways’ guardrails with a red and green delineator, a la MAssachussetts. I first noticed these in district 2 a couple years back. Looks like their going to catch on statewide. And in conndot plow jockey fashion, several of them have already been twisted and bent around tolland from the last storm.